 |
||
Ritz redo We met some friends from Washington at the Ritz Carlton on St. Thomas for lunch the other day and we must say that it’s a very impressive property. The hotel underwent a big $40 million renovation last year and the adjacent timeshares are beautiful too. Very nice beaches as well. Our friends say the property definitely lives up to the Ritz Carlton reputation. Me? I’m glad somebody else was paying. If a ten dollar bill doesn’t cover a burger it is more of a burger than I deserve.  5 Responses to “Ritz redo”Leave a Reply |
   Spicecam: 24/7! |
Advertisements
Bougainvillea"Offering only the finest in tropical clothing" 
Ceremonies St. John"Wedding planning exclusively on St. John" 
VI Ecotours"Guided kayak, hike and snorkel tours" 
Courtesy Car Rentals"Prompt, friendly, affordable." 
Cruz Bay Watersports"All things watersports!" 
Grande Bay Fractional Ownership"Own a piece of paradise." 
Noah's Little Arks"Yellow boats are cool" 
Destination St. John"Be treated like a VIP!" 
St. John Spice"Spices, hot sauces, more!" 
Lion in da' Sun"Get out on the water!" 
Palm Tree Charters"You choose the cruise!" 
Island Getaways"Unforgettable vacations since 1996!" 
Island Treasure Map"Grab a map, win a trip back" 
Cruzin Away"Island hopping, snorkeling or fishing. Or, all three!" 
The Tap Room"Cold beer, cool place!" 
R&I PATTON goldsmithing"St. John's original goldsmiths - since 1973" 
St. Johnimals"Island Pet Outfitter" 
ClassifiedVI.com"It's easy!" 
Annie Caswell"Kissed by Fire Creations" 
Freebird Creations"Something for Everyone! " 
Shop "Island Style""On Island or Online" 
Copeland Boat Charters"Relax on the Water With a Private Charter" 
Carefree Getaways"Ask about their Villa Tours DVD" 
Bongo Bongo"St. John's most over-exposed villa" 
Pilates on St John"Goup, Private or In-Villa Instructions" 
The Jolly Dog"At Skinny Legs" 
High Tide"Great Food, Live Music, On the Beach " 
Cruz Bay Realty"Family owned since 1985" 
Ditleff Point"Waterfront Estates" 
Mongoose Junction"Elegant shopping in a tropical setting!" 
Diamonds International"#1 in diamond jewelry since 1988" 
Caravan Gallery"A Global Collection of Exotic Gifts and Jewlery" 
Wet Woody's"A Captain, a First Mate and lots of fun!" |
January 31st, 2008 10:24
The Ritz property is beautiful but I’d rather stay at Bongo Bongo any day of the year. I feel the same way about burgers and cost. Just because I can afford it definitely doesn’t mean I enjoy being gouged.
I’ve stayed at Caneel before and was never all that impressed with the $15.00+ hamburger. It was fifteen bucks and getting regular yellow mustard was like asking for the server’s fist born.
Hamburger $15
Rasberry Iced Tea $7.50
Side of Fries $11.00
Slow rude service – Priceless
Sorry about the rant.
January 31st, 2008 10:32
The Ritz was nice before the renovation – I can’t imagine how nice it must be now. We stayed there once in October and we practically had the place to ourselves – it was awesome.
You know, the $40 million made the Westin nervous, so this is why the brilliant management decided to build those silly cabanas that no one ever uses and relocated the pool kitchen. They should have spent some of that money on those crappy outdated rooms. They’re not even in the same ballpark with the Ritz… (although they are on STJ which makes it better by default, I guess.)
January 31st, 2008 11:15
We stayed at the Ritz about five years ago. I never felt like the property was in need of renovation, as much as the property was in need of a staff overhaul. I was very disappointed with the service. Not at all like a typical Ritz property. I was just happy we stayed using points rather than paying cash. I would be hard pressed to ever stay there again.
January 31st, 2008 14:54
I looked into this property for a possible tag on to the end of our upcoming trip. However, their rates are about the same price as Caneel’s for an ocean view room, plus they have what I think is a ridiculous “resort fee” at $55/day.
As for the Westin, their ocean view rooms are almost $100/night more than Caneel’s! We did a walkthough of their property a couple of years ago and I can definitely see the appeal for people traveling with kids (they have a beautiful pool), but in my opinion their beach is subpar and I think their rates are ridiculous. A beachfront room at the Westin is $709/night in May!
February 4th, 2008 10:07
We stayed there on the front end of our Thanksgiving trip last year and loved it. It was pricey (though we did a package that included a $100 f&b credit + breakfast), but to me worth every penny.
We had that gorgeous pool all to ourselves and the service was outstanding.